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Noodle shop owner rocks through virus blues

Video Credit: Reuters Studio - Duration: 02:01s - Published
Noodle shop owner rocks through virus blues

Noodle shop owner rocks through virus blues

As China's factories feel economic blues, a band of workers tells their story through rock music.

Libby Hogan reports.

In Wang Zongxing's kitchen, deep bowls of spicy noodles and dim sum are being prepared.

But the clatter and hum of his restaurant has been muted by the health crisis.

Fewer people are migrating from neighbouring provinces to the major industrial hub of Shenzhen, and Wang's not sure if it will be bustling with customers anytime soon: "If this situation continues, the restaurant probably can only survive two more months." His business has dropped by two-thirds, which Wang believes is due to fewer migrant workers coming to China during the economic downturn.

Many factories closed their gates even before the health crisis as land prices were rising, and even Wang was forced to start working at a cardboard box factory.

But luckily, he's found a way to let off some steam.

After work, Wang hangs up his apron and gets ready to jam: "I get my happiness from being able to forget who I am when on stage.

I don't think about all those different roles I have to play in life." Wang is the frontman of the "Zhong-D-Yin," a rock band that sings about the life of workers, living in crowded dormitories, risking injuries, loneliness, and romance.

Despite their gigs being being cancelled during the lockdown, he says these strange times of living in flux have brought the band closer together: "When we wrote songs before you'd just have to look after your own part.

The bassist would look after their own part, the guitarist theirs and the drummer likewise.

This year, everyone worked together.

I believe that music, is a cure.

It can pull you out of the space.

It won't let you seal yourself up in a tiny space."




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